By Ryan Clark
NKyTribune reporter
In the Covington’s first virtual legislative meeting — where commissioners met over GoToMeeting from their homes due to the state’s quarantine rules concerning the COVID-19 virus — Mayor Joseph U. Meyer once again took the time to encourage residents to take the recommendations seriously.
“We have to stay self-defensive until this disease has passed,” Meyer said. “Keep focused for the next several weeks so we can beat this thing.”
That means wearing masks when you go grocery shopping, he said, as well as continuing to wash your hands for at least 20 seconds and keeping your social distance.
“We want to commend the generosity of the people of Covington,” Meyer said. “We truly do have a generous and committed community” who are concerned about their neighbors.
Commissioner Michelle Williams wanted to make sure to recognize the city’s public works department.
“We want to thank you personally for everything you’re doing,” she said.
Commissioner Denny Bowman said he was concerned about funding for food and supplies for city food banks and senior centers. He wondered if the city might be able to utilize some of the $1.5 million CDBG surplus from last year to donate at least $100,000 to purchase food for food banks and senior centers.
The idea is to help fund food and supply purchases for those centers for the next two to three months, he said. He also noted he would help deliver the goods — even though he is at an age that is most susceptible to catching the virus.
“I would have no problem helping to do that,” he said.
City approves ‘Nuisance Code’ policy
Commissioners approved a policy to waive and/or adjust nuisance code liens, essentially providing two options: The seller may apply the city to waive part or all of the outstanding liens, or the purchaser may request a waiver/reduction of the existing liens effective only after completion of a redevelopment agreement with the city.
Basically, city officials said the policy will help remove blight and make vacant properties functional again.
Also Tuesday:
• Commissioners heard a third-quarter financial report from Finance Director Muhammed Owusu, which showed $40,110,092 in revenues and $40,242,061 in expenditures. Commissioners really only seemed concerned with two areas: the fire department expenses, which were a bit over at 77 percent (75 percent is the target goal in the third quarter of the year) and the year-to-date medical expenditures, which were at 89 percent. Mayor Meyer asked Owusu just why the medical expenses were so much, and Owusu responded that these kinds of expenditures are “very hard to budget properly.” Meyer followed up and asked Owusu for a presentation on the topic in the future.
• Commissioners heard the first reading of a new mobile food vending ordinance, where the city can expand food truck use by issuing permits for the vehicles to be used on “certain city-owned property and streets, and by revising the restrictions on mobile food units on private property.”
The ordinance will get a second reading and vote in two weeks.
Etc.
Commissioners …
• Accepted the resignation of Park Ranger Joel Johnson.
• Accepted a leave of absence for Lt. Krista Dyer.
• Promoted Stan Wylie to lieutenant.
• Purchased a paving machine for $65,939.
Meetings will be broadcast live through the TBNK’s cable and streaming outlets and available here to watch the live commission meeting Tuesday or here (click on “latest videos” just under the photos of the commissioners.
Or watch:
Fioptics channel 815
Spectrum Channel 203
The next regularly-scheduled Covington Commission meeting will be a caucus meeting held at 6 p.m., April 21. Residents are encouraged to watch it online, and send in comments beforehand.